Lise
Well-Known Member
For those of you who keep large colonies of rats, do you ever find your rats picking on the elderly rats??
I currently have 5 rats in a FN... one 25 month old lumpy girl Tevy, two neutered males approx 22 months (true age unknown) and two six month old girls.
I keep reading on rat forums how rats take care of each other, and they need companionship always etc etc. But my colony seems to pick on the weak. It has always been this way, they have plenty of space (excessive space actually), tons of hiding spots, two water bottles and a water dish, and lots of food. Doesn't matter, they always seem to pick on the weak rats be it sick or elderly.
Tevy is constantly being flipped and pinned down multiple times daily even when she doesn't do anything wrong -- just trying to eat some blocks. She or someone else has barbered her completely bald since being put back in the cage with the other rats. There isn't one specific offender, all four of them seem to go out of their way to over-dominate her. They did this to my last rat Nora when she was very sick with respiratory problems. Lately she also has bite marks and scabs on her which worries me. When not being picked on she will curl up and sleep in hammocks with the other rats, though.
Do you really think a rat is happier in this situation, then living alone?? A large part of me wants to take her and let her permanently live by herself and coddle her for the rest of her months. Because I know I would be miserable in her position. But I am not a rat....
Expert rat keepers opinions please.
I currently have 5 rats in a FN... one 25 month old lumpy girl Tevy, two neutered males approx 22 months (true age unknown) and two six month old girls.
I keep reading on rat forums how rats take care of each other, and they need companionship always etc etc. But my colony seems to pick on the weak. It has always been this way, they have plenty of space (excessive space actually), tons of hiding spots, two water bottles and a water dish, and lots of food. Doesn't matter, they always seem to pick on the weak rats be it sick or elderly.
Tevy is constantly being flipped and pinned down multiple times daily even when she doesn't do anything wrong -- just trying to eat some blocks. She or someone else has barbered her completely bald since being put back in the cage with the other rats. There isn't one specific offender, all four of them seem to go out of their way to over-dominate her. They did this to my last rat Nora when she was very sick with respiratory problems. Lately she also has bite marks and scabs on her which worries me. When not being picked on she will curl up and sleep in hammocks with the other rats, though.
Do you really think a rat is happier in this situation, then living alone?? A large part of me wants to take her and let her permanently live by herself and coddle her for the rest of her months. Because I know I would be miserable in her position. But I am not a rat....
Expert rat keepers opinions please.